Veterinary Practice Ownership, Leadership and Management

Heather Douglas DVM, MBA, CVA  

Email: hdouglas@sgu.edu

Zoom, Sakai Lessons/Assignments

Additional recommended resources will be provided electronically on Sakai or in class.  

1. Text: The Art of Veterinary Practice Management, by Mark Opperman, CVPM, et al.  ISBN-13: 978-0935078749 ISBN-10: 0935078746

1. Students with disabilities who need accommodations should contact Student Accessibility and Accommodations Services (SAAS), located in the Dean of Students Office.
2. Information can be found at mycampus.sgu.edu/group/saas

None

The purpose of this course is to provide information and skill sets focused on starting or acquiring a veterinary practice.

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

1. Evaluate business management processes needed to run a professional small business or clinic.
2. Identify challenges in starting, running, managing, servicing, or closing a small business or clinic.
3. Develop innovative solutions to maximize employee, organizational, customer/client, and     societal performance gains.
4. Explain personnel policies, practices, and programs within the context of an organizational     culture that motivates optimal workforce performance.
5. Review the practices, policies and programs that enable the development of customer/client     focused veterinary practice.
6. Develop marketing, advertising, and social media strategies, campaigns, and measurements to grow an existing business or practice.
7. Assess the physical, material, human, and societal environments of a small business or clinic.
8. Determine how to better deliver a sustainable, service-oriented experience.

At the conclusion of the sections listed below, the student will be able to:

1. Describe the business management processes needed to efficiently and effectively run a professional small business or clinic.
2. Identify the greatest challenges in starting, running, managing, servicing, or closing a small business or clinic, brainstorming innovative solutions to maximize employee, organizational, customer/client, and societal performance gains.  
3. Identify personnel policies, practices, and programs within the context of an organizational culture that motivates optimal workforce performance.  
4. Case Study: Recognize the practices, policies and programs that enable the development of customer/client focused veterinary practice.
5. Develop marketing, advertising, and social media strategies, campaigns, and measurements to grow an existing business or practice.
6. Assess the physical, material, human, and societal environments of a small business or clinic, and determine how to better deliver a sustainable, service-oriented experience.

Mapping CLOs to PLOs and Competencies

1. Evaluate business management processes needed to run a professional small business or clinic
2. Identify challenges in starting, running, managing, servicing, or closing a small business or  clinic
3. Develop innovative solutions to maximize employee, organizational, customer/client, and     societal performance gains.
4. Explain personnel policies, practices, and programs within the context of an organizational     culture that motivates optimal workforce performance.
5. Review the practices, policies and programs that enable the development of customer/client     focused veterinary practice.
6. Develop marketing, advertising, and social media strategies, campaigns, and measurements to     grow an existing business or practice.
7. Assess the physical, material, human, and societal environments of a small business or clinic.
8. Determine how to better deliver a sustainable, service-oriented experience.

Changes in this schedule may occur at the course director’s discretion, students will be notified at the earliest convenience. See schedule in Sakai under resources and as a table at the end of this document.  

The course will consist of a mix of lectures and interactive zoom sessions.

This course is graded pass/fail based on attendance and assignments described below. 69.5% is considered a passing grade.

Assignments/Lab:  Students must submit the following assignments on time in order to pass the course and attend the online sessions. Assignments turned in late will result in a one-point deduction for each day the assignment is late.  

1. Case Analysis: (20 points) Here, course participants will individually prepare analysis of the assigned case, answering the study questions provided for the respective case.  The purpose of case analysis is to learn how to think, to flex and apply material, concepts and tools to real life scenarios, and to practice using information, facts, and analysis to support decisions and recommendations.  The case must be turned in electronically BEFORE THE CLASS SESSION so that you are fully prepared for the class discussion.
   Cases are available through the SGU library or at www.hbr.org
2. Class Participation:(15 points) Class participants are expected to be prepared for the discussion held in each class.  Class participation points will be provided by the instructor after each class.  Comments must be substantive and factual, showing evidence that you have read the material and are applying it during the discussion.  Points will not be rewarded for unsubstantiated comments or opinion, or that otherwise suggest that the participant has not read and prepared the required material. 0 points will be awarded if the class is missed.
3. Final Project: (65 points) Participants will be asked to incorporate the course learning objectives and propose a detailed business plan to discover and share best practices and critical challenges. Refer to the learning objectives of this course and conduct your analysis in terms of two areas of the business processes listed on page 1-2 of the syllabus (see numbers 1-8). You will be expected to develop and present a formal project proposal, PowerPoint presentation and written assessment. All written assignments are to follow APA 7 format. The PowerPoint presentation is limited to twenty minutes to allow for ten minutes of class discussion and analysis. This project will be submitted for grading in segments according to the chart on page six.
   1. Propose final project. Include and address the course objectives are guiding your project when developing the proposal. (10 points)
   2. Case analysis (20 points)
   3. PowerPoint presentation to class (20 points) due at the end of the course
   4. Final project -write-up, source and research (40 points) due at the end of the course

Not Applicable

The student is expected to adhere to the guidelines provided throughout this syllabus including attendance and assignment policies

Please exhibit professional behavior at all times. Respond to emails from faculty within 24 hours.  

If you cannot attend class, notify Dr. Douglas immediately.  

Failure to submit the assignments will result in course failure.  

N/A

The materials (such as slides, handouts and audio/video recordings) provided to students who are taking courses at St. George’s University (SGU) are the intellectual property of the Faculty and/or Administration of SGU. Students are free to use these materials solely for the purpose of group or individual study. Reproduction in whole or in part is prohibited.